Story Created:
Aug 18, 2009 at 10:20 PM EST
Story Updated:
Aug 18, 2009 at 10:31 PM EST
ROME, N.Y. (WKTV) - Since Rome native Don Jeror spoke out against healthcare reform to the House Majority Leader a few weeks back, there have been town hall meetings interrupted all over the country. Wednesday Democratic Congressman Michael Arcuri will hold a healthcare town hall meeting of his own and Don Jeror says he will be there.
This time around Jeror says he and his people will be on their best behavior. "My little group of little old ladies, our 'rabid mob' is not planning on doing any hollering but we certainly do plan on questioning the man hard," Jeror said.
Jeror interrupted House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, two weeks ago at an Arcuri press conference on high-speed rail, but not Arcuri himself. This time however, the congressman will be alone. The 24th Congressional District's Congressman says he is hoping for a civil meeting. "I understand people get passionate but there's a big difference between being passionate about what you believe and being disrespectful," Arcuri said.
Jeror says he was embarrassed, at first, about the August 4th outburst. However, he says since then he has seen the impact it has made. In his opinion, it got more people to express what they believe in. "This may be the single issue that I have seen voters completely educated on," Jeror said.
Arcuri says he knows people have questions, and concerns, about healthcare reform. He says that is why his mind is not yet made up on which way he will vote. "I keep telling people, hey look, now's the time to let me know," Arcuri said. "I have not made a decision. I want to hear it, so this is the perfect opportunity for people to tell me."
Jeror says he himself admits there needs to be some kind of change in the healthcare system, but says what is currently being proposed is not the answer. He calls this the most important issue in his lifetime, one that he says could change America.
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